“Have a seat,” Nick said. Kris froze at the sight of the cushioned chair she was supposed to sit in. It looked like something out of a dentist’s office; if that dentist decorated his office with black leather. She tried to maintain control as she sat in the chair and held out a hand to Izzy for support.
Izzy squeezed Kris’ hand, no doubt sensing her nervousness. She squeezed Kris’ hand and gave her a reassuring smile. With that simple action, all of the fear shooting through Kris’ body disappeared. She felt like she could do anything; even get something permanently etched on her skin.
“Do you know what you want?” Nick asked as he got his tools ready.
Izzy fished the folded drawing out of her back pocket and handed it over to Nick, who gave it an admiring look and nodded his approval to Izzy.
“You draw this?” he asked. Izzy nodded. “Very nice. Very classic.”
“Thank you, sir,” Izzy said with a bow. “Remember that the next time I come in asking for a job.”
Nick gave her a smile. He patted Kris’ arm. “Alright, Kris. Wait here while I make the transfer.”
Kris nodded and took a deep breath as Nick left the room carrying the drawing. She was relieved to have a few moments to relax before the needle started buzzing.
Izzy gave her hand a squeez. “Do you really want to do this?”
Kris nodded. “I do. It’s just scary. Does it hurt?”
Izzy, who had multiple tattoos scattered about her body shook her head and chuckled. “Mine never did. The feeling is more annoying than painful.” She used her fingertips to brush the hair back from Kris’ forehead. “Relax, cutie pie. You’re gonna be fine. I promise.”
“Okay. I trust you.”
“Have I ever let you down?”
Kris’ head shook ever so slightly. “Not yet.”
The girls exchanged a smile as Nick returned with Izzy’s drawing traced on the transfer paper. “Where are we getting the ink?”
Kris chewed her lip and pointed to the outside of her right bicep, assuming it would look best there. Izzy and Nick seemed to approve of her choice. Nick used an antiseptic wipe to clean her skin, then pressed the paper against her arm, and the image of the mermaid transferred perfectly. Nick held up a mirror to let her check the positioning. She gave him a smile and a nod, pleasantly surprised at how excited she was to have the drawing become a part of her forever.
“Ready?” Nick asked as she sat down and wiggled his thick fingers into a pair of black latex gloves. Kris took a deep breath and nodded with her eyes closed.
Exhaling, she said, “Let’s do this.”
The buzzing of the tattoo machine filled her ears and when the needle touched her skin, she had to turn her head away. Izzy had lied: it hurt like hell at first, but she gritted her teeth against the pain and soon, it was more annoying than painful. She closed her eyes and focused on the warmth and comfort of Izzy’s hand in hers.
Kris had no idea how long it had taken, but when she opened her eyes again Nick was wiping her arm with paper towels. “All done,” he said, holding up the mirror again. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s amazing,” Kris said with a tear in her eye. She looked at Izzy and smiled.
“It’s awesome sauce, cutie pie,” Izzy said, clapping her hands and bounding up and down like a little kid. Nick put a bandage over the fresh ink and recited the instructions on how to care for it. He held out a big hand to help her out of the chair and led them back to the front of the shop.
* * *
“What now?” Izzy asked as they stepped out into the brisk, cold night air and pulled their coats tight around them. Although Kris felt a little nauseous and lightheaded after getting the tattoo, she knew she didn’t want their night on the town to end so soon. She squeezed Izzy’s hand and said, “I don’t know, but I don’t want to go back to the dorm just yet. Let’s do something fun. Something that doesn’t involve needles and giant, scary men.”
“I have an idea!” Izzy giggled and tugged her hand, leading her down the street. Kris willingly followed. She had never felt so alive before. She’d never done something so spur of the moment and wild. It was invigorating and addictive. She felt brave and capable of anything, so long as Izzy was at her side.
Izzy led her to a building six blocks away, further from the center of town. It was an old brick building with a flashing neon sign on the front that read Lola’s Lipstick Lounge.
“Lola’s Lipstick Lounge?” Kris said with a wry smile. “Have you ever been here?”
The look on Izzy’s face said yes, but she tried to look innocent as she shrugged and said, “I don’t really recall.”
Kris pondered the neon sign for a moment, then threw up her hands and said, “Okay! Let’s go check it out.”
CHAPTER SIX
“ID’s, ladies,” the massive bouncer standing just inside the door wiggled his fingers at them. “Eighteen and up.”
Kris and Izzy handed over their ID’s and tried not to giggle as the bouncer looked them up and down. Satisfied that they were of age, he returned their ID’s and stamped a large red X on the back of their right hands.
“Enjoy your night, ladies,” he said, ushering them in.
Izzy took Kris’ hand and pulled her into the club. Kris felt like she was entering another dimension. This was her first time at a nightclub and she was invigorated by everything she saw. Purple and blue lights strobed, programmed to follow the beat of the music. In fact, everything, including Kris’ heartbeat, seemed to follow the beat of the loud music.
She held on tight to Izzy’s hand and gazed toward the packed dance floor. She quickly realized that every single person on the floor was female. Some wore boy clothes and had short hair, others shared Izzy’s eccentric style, but the ones that really caught her eyes were the ones who just looked like normal college girls… girls that looked just like her.
Izzy pulled her towards the bar and ordered two Cokes, but Kris couldn’t peel her eyes away from the women on the dance floor gyrating to the heavy music. She watched in amazement as they danced and kissed and touched. A jolt of emotion cursed through her body and threatened to bring tears to her eyes.
She let out a deep breath as a weight was lifted off her shoulders. For the first time in her life she felt like she actually belonged somewhere. And she wanted to dance…
“Are you OK?” Izzy shouted over the music. “You’re not gonna puke are you?”
Kris knew that she must look dumbfounded. She shook her head and put her lips close to Izzy’s ear. “Is this a lesbian bar?”
“Sure is, cutie pie,” Izzy said, her lips quivering with a devilish smile. “Are you OK?”
Like a deer in the headlights, Kris looked back at Izzy with eyes wide. “Yeah, I just…” She cleared her throat, more than a little terrified of what she was about to say. She used her free hand to touch the spot where her brand new tattoo was beneath her jacket sleeve. The burning sensation gave her the courage to utter the words she had never said before. “I have to tell you something.”
“No you don’t,” Izzy said, cupping Kris’ chin in her hand. Her dark eyes softened, giving off a warmth that made Kris smile. “I knew you were gay the second we met, cutie pie. You haven’t been fooling anyone but yourself.”
“Is it that obvious?” Kris groaned softly.
Izzy shook her head. “Not to everyone.” Kris closed her eyes and sighed. She opened her eyes again when Izzy tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. She smiled at the kind, loving way Izzy stared at her.
Izzy said, “I don’t blame you for denying it. I can only imagine how hard coming out would have been for you, coming from Iowa, of all places. Shit, my parents are from Manhattan and they all but disowned me when I came out.”
“They don’t approve?” Kris asked, offering a sympathetic look.
“They just prefer I keep my private life private,” she said, a sad smile crossing her lips. “Which is why I never go home and they never visit.”
Kris took in a sad breath and raised her hand to Izzy’s freckled cheek. “They’re idiots, if you ask me.”
Izzy put her hands on Kris’ hips and pulled her close until their bodies were touching. Kris felt the breath catch in her chest. The sudden closeness lit a fire deep within her and she felt a tingle between her legs. She wrapped her arms around Izzy and rested her palms on Izzy’s ass.
“I’ve never told anyone that I’m gay,” she whispered, her lips touching Izzy’s ear. She pulled her head back and stared deeply into Izzy’s eyes.
Izzy smiled and leaned her forehead into Kris’. She kissed the tip of Kris’ nose and said, “Your secret is safe with me.”
Kris shook her head. “I don’t want it to be a secret. I’ve been keeping it a secret for the last eighteen years and I’m ready to tell the world.”
“Don’t be shocked if the world doesn’t reciprocate your feelings,” Izzy said sadly. “There are a lot of people out there who don’t like people like us.”
“I don’t care,” Kris said. “I like us. And that’s all that matters.”
Her arms tightened around Izzy’s body and she pulled her close, closing the gap between their lips. The kiss was tentative at first. Kris was scared; she had never kissed anyone, let alone another girl. But still, she was sure that no kiss had ever felt so good and so right as theirs did at that moment.
Izzy’s tongue lapped her lips, coaxing them to open. When their tongues met, heat rose in her cheeks and fireworks exploded behind her eyes. Kris was completely lost in the softness of Izzy’s lips and in the wonderful sensation they produced.
Despite the loud music that still thumped around them, Kris could hear only their heartbeats. It played like a soundtrack to the best night of her life.
The intensity of the kiss had turned Kris' breathing heavy, and as she looked into the beautiful face of the girl who had her heart, she wanted more of what they had just done. She wanted more of everything.
Kris licked her lips, tasting Izzy on them, and said the first thing that came to her mind. “Do you want to head back to the dorm?”
Izzy smirked and leaned close. “I’d love to. Cutie pie.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
The subway ride and the walk through the campus took forever. The only thing holding Kris together was the fact that Izzy never once let go of her hand.
The entire time they kept their arms wrapped around each other and whispered sweet nothings back and forth. By the time they reached the dorm room, Kris literally burned for Izzy. She wanted to be with her more than she’d ever wanted anything else in her life.
Izzy delivered soft kisses to Kris’ neck as she opened the door. The Christmas lights they hung earlier that day illuminated their room with a warm red glow.
Without breaking eye contact, Izzy walked to her bed, grabbed the mattress and pulled it down to the floor. With an adoringly smile on her lips Kris did the same, placing hers flush against Izzy’s. Kris’ heart pounded in her chest as they lay down and turned on their sides to face each other. For a long moment they just stared at each other, committing every inch of the other’s face to memory.
Kris was the one to finally break the stand-off. She reached out and pulled Izzy closer, wrapping her in an embrace as she pressed their lips together. Their kiss was long and passionate and utterly amazing.
Kris moaned softly in Izzy’s ear and pulled her closer still, pressing their bodies together until there was no space between them. There were no words to explain how much she enjoyed the feel of Izzy against her. If there was a heaven, she was certain it would feel like this.
They started slowly, helping each other out of their clothes and for a moment, Kris stared at the magnificent form of Izzy’s figure. She was everything—toned and soft and curvy and perfect. Kris had dreamt about this moment her whole life, and now that it was here she didn’t want to waste a second of it.
Izzy let her explore. Her lips and hands traveled in a slow, adoring pace across Izzy’s skin. She kissed, touched, sucked, felt and tasted every inch of sweet pale flesh she could find and as she did, Izzy cried out her name. It was a give and take, Kris pleasured Izzy and in return Izzy turned Kris on even more.
When her hands reached Izzy’s soft, full breast a small gasp escaped Kris’ lips. She turned her eyes to the cold metal that pierced both of Izzy’s nipples. Curiosity and desire propelled her as she brought the nipple to her mouth. Kris circled her tongue around the pink flesh and, keeping her gaze on Izzy’s face, pulled the barbell lightly with her teeth. Izzy moaned with pleasure, so Kris did it again and again.
She only stopped when Izzy’s hands started to move. Gentle fingers brushed across Kris’ skin. They traveled down her thighs and hips, bringing a line of fire everywhere they went.
As Izzy’s hand reached Kris’ lower belly, their lips crashed together once more for their most intimate and passionate kiss yet. Kris whimpered against her lover’s mouth and angled her hips looking for some kind of release.
A sweet laugh bubbled up from Izzy’s chest. She rolled Kris onto her back and kissed a path down her body.
“You’re so beautiful. So soft,” Izzy whispered.
There were so many sensations coursing through Kris’ body it was hard to focus on just one. Her back arched with pleasure and her eyes fluttered closed in an attempt to feel it all. Suddenly, Kris felt Izzy pull away.
She opened her eyes and saw Izzy on her knees gazing at her naked body. Her cheeks flushed and, in an instinctive move, she brought her hands to cover herself, but Izzy wouldn’t let her. She caught Kris’ hands in her own and shook her head.
“Don’t. I’m looking because you’re perfect. I love everything about you, cutie pie.”
Kris wanted to reply, to say that she felt the same, but she never had the opportunity. Izzy released Kris’ hands and placed her own on Kris’ knees. With a slow, calculated move, Izzy parted her knees. She grinned as her fingers traveled up the inside of Kris’ thighs, her nails leaving a path of red ribbons that her tongue followed.
As Izzy approached her center, Kris’ breath became more and more labored. Finally, Izzy’s fingers and tongue found their way to the space between Kris’ legs and the air was pushed from her lungs.
Kris gasped, nearly screaming with pleasure, as Izzy’s tongue flickered against her most intimate spot. She had never dreamt that sex could feel this good, but it did. It felt amazing.
Her heels dug into the mattress and her fingers tangled in Izzy’s blonde tresses as she sucked her clit, bringing Kris to the edge of pleasure. Nectar poured out of her as her thighs trembled and a desperate moan escaped her, begging Izzy not to stop. She never wanted it to stop.
With a smile on her lips Izzy slipped a finger inside of Kris and moved it in and out, curling the tip in a way that made her see the most wonderful stars. Kris felt her body tingle as heat coiled in her belly. The sensation built until she felt like her body would be split in half from so much pleasure.
When she couldn’t hold on any longer, she curled her toes and tilted her head back, giving into the most amazing sensation. She sobbed Izzy’s name and gripped the mattress beneath her as waves of pleasure crashed over her body.
As she finally relaxed, Kris opened her eyes just slightly and stared at Izzy as she pulled her finger out. With a mischievous smile on her lips, Izzy brought the finger to her mouth and sucked it clean.
Kris bit her lips as she imagined doing the same to Izzy. Another surge of desire ran through her body and she groaned. She took a deep breath and said, “When I wake up, I wanna do that,” she murmured as her eyes closed.
Izzy smiled and moved to lie down next to Kris. She stroked her lover’s hair adoringly and kissed her cheek. “Don’t worry about it, cutie pie,” she whispered. “We have all the time in the world.”
Kris knew that Izzy was right, but she wanted to hear Izzy moan and chant her name as she had Izzy’s. She wanted to bring her to the edge of oblivion and let her dangle until finally pushi
ng her over the edge into the warm sea of pleasure.
She wanted all of those things, but first she needed to sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kris drove the rental car through the quiet streets of Mt. Pleasant. It had been four years since she left the small town in her quest to find freedom and even more, to find herself. As she looked at the now black-haired beauty by her side, she realized that she ended up finding so much more. She found Izzy, and Izzy changed her life, as she always knew she would.
She reached over to grab Izzy’s hand and interlaced their fingers together. She was equally excited and scared to finally introduce Izzy to her parents. As much as Izzy said it didn’t matter, Kris knew it was time her family stopped seeing them as just roommates. She was proud of their relationship and was quite ready to call Izzy her soul mate in front of everyone.
“What was it like growing up here?” Izzy asked, glancing out the window at the countryside passing by. “This place is gorgeous.”
“It is gorgeous,” Kris said with a nod. “Unfortunately, a lot of the people here are still living in the dark ages. They can be pretty ugly if you’re not one of them.”
Izzy looked back at her with a grin. “I guess you were one of the pretty ones, then.”
“You’re a little partial,” Kris said, shaking her head. She held out her hand and Izzy laced her fingers into it. “I want to apologize in advance if this goes badly. My folks can be pretty judgmental.”
“Relax, baby,” Izzy said, giving her hand a squeeze. “I’m sure your parents will be way more understanding than mine have been. I’m sorry they refuse to meet you. I know it hurts your feelings because it hurts mine.”
“It’s not a big deal,” Kris said with a smile. “They’ll come around someday.”
“I wouldn’t hold my breath,” Izzy said. “Still, I’m a little surprised your folks seemed so open to the idea of our relationship. I really expected them to be even more resistant than my folks.”
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